Shell shipping container



Oct. 25, 1955 G. A. LYON SHELL SHIPPING CONTAINER Filed Feb. l, 1951 n 5 7 0 2 2 1.14 9 M H 2 j .2 WP 1 f e g I l j Il EAA i L mm 4 y ,y I IIHHII Il 1| nu j fn, 6 J w United States Patent SHELL SHIPPING CONTAINER George Albert Lyon, Detroit, Mich. Application February 1, 1951, Serial No. 2iiS,915

, 6 Claims. (Cl. 206-3) This invention relates to shipping containers and more particularly to a container forv shells of thelarger type such for example as those that range in size from 40 mm. to 350 mm.

In the past it has been the practice to ship shells in individual containers which areiremovedhfrom the containers prior to their use or which maybe removed prior to the loading of a clip with such shells.

Inasmuch as such containers are frequently discarded or destroyed after usage, it is desirable that `they be made as economically as possible and yet be able to protect properly and thoroughly the shells during transit and storage.

It is an object of this invention to provide a shell container which can be economically manufactured and yet at the same time which will hold the shell firmly in position in the container duringshipment and storage.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a shell container that has an easily removable, crimped cap at one end, which cap, in` addition to closingthe open end of the container, also serves to tightly hold the shell in position in the container.

In accordance with the general features of this invention there is provided as an article .of manufacture a shipping container for a yshell comprising a tube having one end closed and another open through which a shell may be inserted nose iirst into the tube and so that the substantially the line II-II of Figure 1, looking in the .i direction indicated by the arrows and illustrating how a.

shell is positioned and held in the container; and

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on substantially the line III-III of Figure 2, looking in the direction indi cated by the arrows.

As shown on the drawings:

As indicated hereinbefore my shippingcontainer may be made in a larve number of different sizes for accommodating a wide range of sizes of shells. I have in Figure 2 designated generally a shell (shown in elevation), by the reference character 10, and which has a metallic casing 11 which may be of any conventional form or may be of the type described in my co-pending patent application Serial No. 200,983, filed December 15,1950, now abandoned.

The shell 10 in addition to the casing 11 includes a projectile 12 which may or may not have a detonator 13 sidered a better and safer practice, my invention does permit of the shipping of the shell with a detonator due to the manner in which the shell is held in the casingk with its nose end in spaced relation to the interior Wall v of the shipping container here designated generally by the reference character 20.

The shell casing 11 has its open end 16 clinched to the projectile 12. In addition the shell has a breech type of base 14.

Now the container 20 of my invention includes a tube 21 for housing the shell 10 and has a closure cap 22 shell base will be adjacent. the open end of the tube, the

tube having an intermediate tapered portion inclined toward the closed end of the tube for engaging` a tapered shoulder on `the body of the shell to limit movement of the shell toward the closed end of the tube, and a cap detachably engaged with the open end of the tube and engaging the base ofthe shell to hold it tightly against the shoulder.

Other features of the invention relate to the` container being spaced from the shell detonator, the cap being so arranged that lit may be crimped over toa curled edge at the open end of the container, and to the provision ot` resilient cushion means in the cap for contacting the base of the shell and for resiliently urging the shell upwardly in the tube against the shouldered portion of the tube.

Another and further feature of the invention relates to the provision of corrugations in the wall of the container tube so that such corrugations may contact the shell casing and center the same in the tube.

Another feature of the invention relates to enlarging the closed end of the container so as to space the inner surface thereof uniformly from the detonator end of the shell in the container and so that the container will be supported thereby when laid on its side.

Other objects and features of this invention will more fully appear from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing which illustrates a single embodiment thereof and in which:

Figure l is a side elevational view of my container showing its open end capped;

Figure 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken on detachably mounted over the open end tube end 19.` Also the tube 21 has a corrugated wall portion 23. While these parts may be made from any suitable metallic sheet, I prefer to make them from la light gauge `sheet metal. The tube 21 for example may be made by any suitable extrusion or drawing process and the cap 22 may be made by any suitable stamping process such as is used in making bottle or closure caps.

Also it should be noted that the shell or its projectile 12 has va tapered portion 15 terminating in the-.shell nose or detonator 13. The tapered portion 15 which may be on either the shell projectile 12 or thel shell tubev 11, denes a shoulder for contacting vorengaging on its outer side a tapered portion or shoulder 24 of the container.

The nose or closed portion 25 of the container is en- The cap 22 is of a dished form and includesa flange A 27 adapted to be crimped at 28. The tube 21` includes a-curledor rolled edge 29 definingthe open end of the tube 21 (Fig, 2) and over which the cap ange 27 is crimped.

The interior of the cap 22 has disposed in it a cushion or sealing disk 30 which may be made of any suitable resilient material, such for example, as rubber like material or cork. This material is such that when the cap 22 is crimped over the open end of the tube 20 it will yieldably envelop and engage the base 14 of the shell and thus force the inclined portion 15 of the shell tightly against the inclined shoulder 24 of the container 20.

Any suitable apparatus may be employed to crimp the flange 27 to the open end 29 of the tube. Further the crimping operation should be of such character as to permit the cap to be removed from the tube when it is desired to remove the shell therefrom.

From the foregoing it is clear that my container not only holds the shell 10 in a lixed centered position therein but in addition cushions the shell at the cap end of the container.

The tube enlargement 25 is of such cross-sectional dimension that it is substantially the same or closely approximates that of the open tube end 19 whereby the tube, when it is laid on its side, the enlargement 25 will cooperate with the open tube end of the container in supporting the same. The corrugated portion 23 of the container 21 assists in centering the shell in the container and also yieldably engages the side wall of the shell casing 11. Thus, the detonator 13 is held in spaced relation to the interior surface of the container nose enlargement 2.5.

I claim as my invention:

l. As an article of manufacture, a shipping container for a shell comprising a tube having one end closed and another open through which a shell may be inserted nose rst into the tube, and so as to position its base at the open end of the tube, said tube having an intermediate shoulder portion defined by a constricted portion of the tube adjacent the closed end for contacting a shouldered portion on the shell to limit movement of the shell toward the closed end of the tube and a cap detachably engaged with the open end of the tube and engaging the base of the shell to hold it tightly against said shoulder, said closed end of the container being enlarged into a supporting portion for the container when it is laid on its side.

2. As an article of manufacture, a shipping container for a shell comprising a tube having a tapered wall terminating in a closed end and having its other end open through which a shell may be inserted nose rst into the tube and a closure for the open end of the tube, said closed tube end having an enlargement beyond the tapered portion of the tube of a transverse dimension substantially that of the open tube end so that said enlargement can cooperate with the closed end of the tube in supporting the tube when the tube is laid on its side.

3. In combination with a shell including a casing and a projectile held therein having a tapered nose portion, a shipping container for the shell comprising a tube of sheet metallic material having one end closed and another end open through which a shell is introduced into the tube, and a detachable cap for said open end, said shell being disposed in said container with its nose portion adjacent the closed end of the tube and its base against said cap, said tube having a tapered portion adjacent to and indented toward the closed end of the tube and engaging the tapered nose portion of the shell projectile to limit movement of the shell toward the closed end of the tube, and said tube having at least a portion of its wall corrugated and in yieldable centering contact with the casing of said shell.

4. In combination with a shell including a casing and a projectile held therein having a tapered nose portion, a shipping container for the shell comprising a tube of sheet metallic material having one end closed and another end open through which a shell is introduced into the tube, said shell being disposed in said container with its nose portion adjacent the closed end of the tube, said tube having a tapered portion adjacent to and inclined toward the closed end of the tube and engaging the tapered nose portion of the shell projectile to limit movement of the shell toward the closed end of the tube, said tube having at least a portion of its wall corrugated and in yieldable centering contact with the casing of said shell, and Said closed tube end having an enlargement beyond the tapered portion of the tube of a transverse dimension substantially that of the open tube end.

5. As an article of manufacture, a tubular shipping container for a shell including a tubular cartridge casing with a tapered wall leading from a base at one end to a tapered projectile in the other end of the casing, said container being closed at one end with an enlargement terminating in an inwardly indented shoulder for bearing against and centering the tapered projectile, the other end of said container engaging the periphery of the cartridge casing base and having a detachable cap enveloping the bottom of the cartridge base, said container between said enlargement and cap being ribbed for resilient cushioned engagement with the tapered wall of the casing so that said shell is engaged and supported at at least three separated areas.

6. As an article of manufacture, a tubular shipping container for a shtell including a tubular cartridge casing with a tapered wall leading from a base at one end to a tapered projectile in the other end of the casing, said container being closed at one end with an enlargement terminating in an inwardly indented shoulder for bearing against and centering the tapered projectile, the other end of said container engaging the periphery of the cartridge casing base and having a detachable cap enveloping the bottom of the cartridge base, said container between said enlargement and cap being ribbed for resilient cushioned engagement with the tapered wall of the casing so that said shell is engaged and supported at at least three separated areas, said cap having on its interior deformable resilient means for interlocking engagement with said cartridge base and for forcing the shell lengthwise of and toward the closed end of the container to tightly engage said tapered projectile against said rigid container shoulder in the closed end of said container.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,308,480 Abbott Jan. 19, 1943 2,356,969 Blum Aug. 29, 1944 2,443,506 Hohl et al. June 15, 1948 2,543,774 Gora Mar. 6, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS 2,732 Netherlands Feb. 1, 1919 740,960 France Nov. 22, 1932 549,592 Great Britain Nov. 27, 1942 

